On Sunday, the Congress leader upped the ante in his critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He says the government has been too quiet in the wake of the three sailors being killed by the US military. To Gandhi, this is all about whether we can hold our own, and he’s of the opinion that New Delhi was more interested in following Washington’s lead than putting down a firm line.
What you have here is a case of the United States sending out a message that, in Gandhi’s telling, makes India look like a vassal. He puts it down to the fact that there has been no come-what-may from the top brass, which in turn weakens India’s hand and leaves people to question how the government is handling a crisis.
Rahul Gandhi’s charge of a ‘compromised’ leadership
Gandhi’s point is that even after the deaths, the US has shown no contrition, let alone an apology, and has just kept on giving orders. He even put up the text of what he calls a US military warning to make his case: ‘Comply immediately with the orders of the US military. No violation will be tolerated.’
‘A free country would never put up with that kind of talk,’ he said. He has no time for a Prime Minister he sees as ‘compromised’ – one who, he says, won’t have the back of the nation and is in the pocket of those who are quick to put us down.
What triggered the uproar
All of this comes in the aftermath of the American attacks that cost three of our sailors their lives. On X, Gandhi made it clear he doesn’t understand why the government has been so still given the weight of the matter and the way the US has been communicating since.
These are the points he’s been making:
– The US is responsible for the three sailors’ deaths.
– We haven’t seen an apology for it.
– They’ve been talking to us in the language of the military.
– And the Prime Minister has had nothing to say about it.
US message to New Delhi and the Strait of Hormuz
Things got more heated when the US made it known it had put its cards on the table with India over maritime matters. From what Gandhi’s side is saying, Washington made it plain to New Delhi that if they see any flouting of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz or any under-the-table moving of Iranian oil, they will not stand for it.
The opposition has a version of events where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put these words to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a call on Friday. That exchange, and the way it was put across, is what the Congress is latching onto as proof of a slight to India’s standing.
Government stance and the political stakes
For its part, the government says it is on top of things and is using the proper diplomatic avenues. You won’t find a reply from the PMO or the BJP to Gandhi’s comments, at least not yet.
It’s a matter of national pride and accountability for the opposition. The government, on the other hand, has to walk a fine line between doing its job in diplomacy and showing the country it is in control.
What comes next
With nerves on edge, everyone is looking to see what New Delhi does. How the government plays its next card may well be the difference between this blowing over or turning into a full-blown argument over how much leeway we have with our bigger partners.
Here is what to keep an eye on:
– Some word from the top on how we’ve been engaging with the US
– An explanation for what happened to the sailors
– How the two sides handle the issue of the seas going forward
